Fight Against Doping -- New IOC Rule, Gatlin Loses Appeal

IOC Communications Director Giselle Davies announces the new IOC rule on eligibility for drug cheats. (ATR)New IOC Rule Reinforces Fight Against Doping

The International Olympic Committee moved to strengthen its fight against doping Thursday by ratifying a new eligibility ruling to crack down on drug cheats.

It means that any athlete who receives a doping sanction of six months or longer in the four years leading up to an Olympics would be deemed ineligible to compete in those Games.

The decision was made by the IOC Executive Board meeting in Athens.

The rule, first announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge in Osaka last August, comes into force July 1, meaning that any athlete caught doping in Beijing would be ineligible for London 2012.

IOC director of communications Giselle Davies says the measure "will help make the anti-doping regime at the Beijng Games the most stringent ever".

With up to 4,500 athletes subject to drug testing in Beijing, up from 3,600 in Athens, Davies claimed the rule was a boost to the IOC's zero tolerance policy against drugs.

"The decision taken today is one step to try and help reinforce that, to find another weapon in the armory in the fight," she told reporters at a news conference June 5.

Gatlin Appeal Rejected

Justin Gatlin will be unable to run at the Beijing Olympics. The Court for Arbitration of Sport threw out the sprinter’s The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Justin Gatlin’s appeal. (Getty Images)appeal of a four year doping ban Friday.

Gatlin presented his case last week and received a quick ruling because USA Track and Field will hold Olympic trials in three weeks.

Gatlin said he was innocent and doesn’t know how he tested positive for excessive testosterone levels.

Pettigrew Returns Medal

Admitted drug cheat Antonio Pettigrew returned the Olympic medal he won in Sydney. Pettigrew’s decision followed the announcement earlier this week that teammate Michael Johnson would return his medal from the 4x400 relay..

Pettigrew also accepted a two-year period of ineligibility from the United States Anti Doping Agency for using performance enhancing drugs.

In addition to his two-year period of ineligibility which begins on June 3, 2008,, all of Pettigrew’s competitive results since January 1997 will be disqualified, along with forfeiture of all medals, results, points and prizes obtained during this time.

Along with the Sydney gold medal, Pettigrew also voluntarily surrendered his 1997 and 1999 IAAF World Championship gold medals received for the 4x400 relay.

"It takes courage to accept full responsibility for such egregious conduct and hopefully Mr. Pettigrew’s case will serve as another powerful reminder to young athletes of the importance of competing clean," said USADA Chief Executive Officer Travis Tygart.

United States Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr said the USOC was pleased with Pettigrew’s decision.

"After years of failing to acknowledge his mistakes and accept responsibility for his actions, Mr. Pettigrew is now stepping forward and doing so by returning the medal that was unfairly won at the 2000 Olympic Games" Scherr said. "We are pleased that he is now accepting responsibility and taking this step.

"We are also pleased that Mr. Johnson has voluntarily chosen to return his medal from the 4x400 meter relay, which we believe is an example that others should follow. Mr. Johnson's action underscores his commitment to uphold the values of clean competition and further enhances his status as a great Dwain Chambers won his first 100m race in two years on Wednesday, setting up a potential showdown with the British Olympic Association over his eligibility for Beijing. (Getty Images)Olympic champion."

Spanish Hockey in Doubt for Beijing

A doping case against the Spanish hockey team means the team could lose their spot at the Beijing Olympics.

Two members of the Spanish hockey team failed drug test after they qualified for the Games in a tournament in Azerbaijan.

The International Hockey Federation informed the athletes that the B-samples from both players have shown the same adverse analytical findings as the A-samples.

Both players requested a hearing before the FIH Judicial Commission. These hearings, which will take place before the end of June 2008, will determine whether or not an anti-doping rule violation has been committed and, if so, what the sanction should be.

...Briefs

...Dwain Chambers qualified for the British championships Wednesday when he won his first 100m race in two years in Greece. Chambers was banned for life in 2003 by the British Olympic Association for taking steroids. If wins the 100m at the championships he would have a spot on the Beijing Olympic team. Chambers will have to appeal the BOA’s rules in a British court in order to ensure a spot for him on the British team in China.

Chambers told the Greek newspaper Sportday: "I'm optimistic I will be in China. The ruling is unfair. I don't want to put my country in a difficult position, I'm doing this because I believe I can do well in the Olympics. If I didn't believe that then I wouldn't waste my time and the time of my lawyers. I believe that I can be in the first three in Beijing. I can win a medal."

...Olympic champion Michael Johnson said there needs to be tougher laws against users of performance enhancing drugs. Speaking to Reuters, Johnson said "when people think 'I could go to jail for just using steroids,' then maybe that would help. You can safely say in the last four, five, six years the cheaters have been ahead and they have won."

Written by Ed Hula III.